Derby County Set-Pieces Under John Eustace Tactics 2024/25

Derby County managed to stay up by the skin of their teeth, securing safety in the EFL Championship with a 0-0 draw on the season's final day.

In one of the more surprising moves of the campaign, John Eustace left promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers in February to take over at Derby County, who were only outside the relegation zone on goal difference at the time.

One of the biggest reasons they survived was their set-piece threat.

Derby County scored 22 goals from set plays this season—more than any other team in the league, according to WhoScored.

That’s nearly half of all their goals, showing just how crucial dead-ball situations were, as seen below.

Eustace also brought in Stuart Reid to help turn set-pieces into a real weapon, rekindling the relationship from Blackburn last year. This tactical analysis will examine John Eustace tactics during set pieces, focusing on how Derby use structured movements to exploit space and unsettle defensive setups.

We will explore Derby's various methods of threat to the goal, from front-post overloads to back-post screens, while also identifying potential limitations in how effectively they free their target players at the moment of delivery.

A standout feature of Derby County’s approach in this set-piece analysis is their use of dual-role players and coordinated movements to disrupt zonal and man-marking systems.

This allows them to consistently generate chances even against well-organised defences.

Derby County Set-Piece Analysis: Corner Attacking Methods Like the past sides led by both John Eustace and Stuart Reid, a clear plan and structure are communicated throughout the team, meaning that all the players know which routine to execute and when so that each corner is performed to its maximum potential. Whether the target is the back post, front post or somewhere central, the players work together to create space in the area for the target player to attack the ball with minimal interference. It is hard to know without going into depth on Derby's opponents from game to game, like the analysis team does, but it seems that they are also well skilled in identifying weaknesses in opponent set-ups and individual tendencies to target areas where it is easier to win the first contact. In the clip below, the intent is to target the front post, which doesn't have a strong zonal presence. Derby County can easily remove the zonal defender by making the run across him, and it seems like that defender is usually quick to jump from his zone to mark players coming in front. One simple movement creates a lot of space right in front of the goal, where the attacker who pretended to block the goalkeeper arrives completely unmarked. pic.twitter.com/OKuXrKXDvQ

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 In instances when teams defend very deep inside their six-yard box, and the space is around the near side of the six-yard box, Derby have used low crosses to guarantee the ball arrives in the desired area. The screen is set on the nearest zonal defender while the unmarked attacker attempts to arrive and redirect the ball towards the goal. Again, through prior analysis, it is clear that Derby know they will have an attacker spare, so he can start a couple of yards away from the target zone and arrive with no trouble. pic.twitter.com/jprMX7amor

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 At the back post, Derby County have used a couple of alternate methods. Firstly, the attacking group starts at the back post. As the ball is delivered, these players move towards the goal, dragging defenders away from that area, while simultaneously attempting to screen the zonal defenders from being able to move into the back of the six-yard box. The attacker is in a 1v1 duel as he arrives at the back post to attack the ball. Derby are confident in having created enough of a mismatch to allow them to guarantee the first contact, even with the opposition challenging for the ball. pic.twitter.com/etQz9XN3Fr

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 Again targeting the back post, Derby attempted to immobilise the zonal defenders through screens on two defenders and a block on the goalkeeper. The ball is again free to arrive in the highlighted area. Still, the attacker fails to arrive in the optimal conditions to attack the ball, due to the lack of effort put into giving the attacker separation. He is forced to battle in his 1v1 duel, and the distraction is enough to slow him down and prevent him from attacking the ball. pic.twitter.com/OGufvkkiuW

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 One last tool that Derby County have used to attack the back post, is through the near-side positioning of the target player, who uses the crowd to create separation for himself to attack the ball. The attacker highlighted in green moves into a position where the attacker in red and his marker are in the line between him and the back post area where he is meant to arrive. As a result, the attacker can arrive at the back post unmarked, while the defender must first navigate his way through the crowd inside the penalty area before he can compete in the aerial duel. pic.twitter.com/BJ10zW8yg5

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 To guarantee the first contact, Derby have also attempted to find space further away from the goal, between the penalty spot and the edge of the box. In the 3v3 in that area, the attackers position themselves on the blind side of their markers and begin their attack towards the goal, dragging their markers with them to the goal. While in the blind spot, the player highlighted in green stops his movement and returns to his original starting position. The defender's focus has turned to the ball, and he doesn't see the change in the direction of the runner. This gives him the space around the penalty spot to make the first contact unopposed, although the longer distance to the goal makes the header harder to convert into a goal. As this routine occurs, the other two attackers who make their runs into the six-yard box also attempt to block the zonal defenders from stepping up, showing again how Derby attempt to use dual roles for their players. pic.twitter.com/NRCXyuEMex

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 Below is another example of how Derby County have been using dual roles for their players. With one player doing two jobs, Derby can be more threatening in the box. Players always have the potential to change their actions and keep their opponents off guard. A player could seem as if they are making a run before setting a screen at the last moment to create space in a certain zone. If the timing is right, this can leave opposing defenders with no time to react and cover the appropriate spaces, making it one of the most powerful tools. In the example below, the player highlighted performs two very difficult roles. Firstly, he sets a block on the zonal defender to protect the space between the six-yard box and the penalty spot. Coming from the blindside, it is easier for him to arrive in the right position and get lower to the ground before the defender has time to readjust. After the ball is delivered, the player then also wins the first contact on the ball. It doesn't seem as if this second role is supposed to be his, but his excellent strength to hold off two defenders at the same time allows him to lunge for the ball and redirect it while holding off two opposing defenders. Having attracted the attention of multiple defenders, the player at the back post is left unmarked and able to tap in the ball to an open goal. pic.twitter.com/g8cl7bSGGA

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 Derby County Set-Piece Analysis: Room For Improvement While Derby County have been strong in identifying spaces to attack, and creating better conditions in these spaces, there could be more work and detail put into creating more space for the target attackers to have when approaching the ball. The zones around the six-yard box are free due to the screens set up, but the attackers are still man-marked, meaning most of their energy and focus is spent on jostling with their opponents and trying to escape their hold. Instead, Derby could use different starting positions, decoy movements , screens , or other methods to free up one player to attack the ball in the target areas. When the player arrives with a defender, he is off balance, under pressure, and not in the right conditions to put the ball into the back of the net. pic.twitter.com/EUiKz3yjd0

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 Derby have often tried to create mismatches to increase their chance of winning 1v1 duels. Like in the example below, the player is clearly more dominant than his opponent, so he is more likely to win the aerial duel and have a shot on goal. The attacker still has to fight to win the ball, and wastes his focus and energy on this aspect, rather than the actual headed effort on goal. The chance is still good, and this is not a criticism, but an observation into how Derby County can increase the quality of the chances they have during corners. Maybe this can be done just by giving the attacker a different starting position, on the blindside of the defender, where it can become easier to time when to attack the ball against the defender. pic.twitter.com/2cqH9YPLtv

— Footie Clips (@FootieClips) May 4, 2025 Conclusion Derby County’s set-piece routines are clearly well-structured and intentionally designed.

Players understand their roles and execute coordinated movements to target specific areas.

Their use of screens, dual roles, and manipulation of zonal and man-marking systems shows a strong tactical foundation and a focus on gaining the first contact.

However, despite creating space in key zones, their attackers are often still tightly marked, reducing the quality of the final action.

Small adjustments—like starting positions, blindside movements, well-timed screens, or decoy runs—could help attackers free up at crucial moments and improve the overall effectiveness of their well-planned routines.

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